


Reaching Out

by ApomaroMellow



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Ghost Hunters, Angst, Fluff, Homophobia, M/M, ghost!keith
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-17
Updated: 2020-05-08
Packaged: 2020-12-20 21:08:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 8,387
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21063212
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ApomaroMellow/pseuds/ApomaroMellow
Summary: Lance has always loved the supernatural and unexplained and seeks to document them. And he would've found a ghost in that abandoned house if he didn't find Keith instead.And despite Keith's insistence that ghost hunting is stupid, Lance continues his quest for something real.But there's a reason Keith was in the abadoned, rumored-to-be-haunted house of a murder victim.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> uuuuuuuuhhhhhh, should i have tagged this as major character death? when the character in question is dead from the beginning?
> 
> idk but here's the warning now just in case
> 
> title from "Reaching Out" by Yagami Junko

"If there's any demons about, I'm a good, Catholic boy, but I'm down to talk. If you're a vampire, I'm dtf. If you're a werewolf, sorry, I'm not a furry", Lance spoke into the doorway of the house, recording on his phone propped by a selfie stick. The light on his camera lit some of the way, but it was still rather dark as he stepped one foot at a time into the abode.

This house was part of an old development from the 80's where slowly more and more people moved out, but nobody moved back in, leaving the houses empty for decades. Lance had read an urban legend about one of the houses being haunted and had checked each one. This was the last house on the block and so far there hadn't been anything.

Except for that family of bats in one house. He shuddered at the memory.

Lance went further inside, looking all around. The house was pretty much empty, which meant this family had been moved out. It made his hopes sink a little at that. The urban legend about the haunting was about a murder victim. There wasn't a lot of detail, but it had to be this house. It was the last one left.

"Anyone hooooooooo~me", he called out, hoping as always to get an answer.

Lance let out a sigh when no one answered him. He started to explore the kitchen when he heard a sound that sent shivers up his spine. It was what he wanted but he didn't know exactly how he'd proceed if he actually got it.

Footsteps. Coming down the stairs.

Holding his breath, he turned around slowly. Camera pointed at the stairs that ended outside the kitchen. "S-so what are you? Ghost? Demon? What?"

He saw the shoes descending down the stairs, each step corresponding to a thudding of his heart, camera trained for his first official sighting since rooting around this neighborhood.

"What are you doing here?", asked the voice of a young man when he saw Lance in the kitchen.

"Oh apparition, I come looking for answers", Lance answered.

"Apparition? What are you talking about?"

Lance cautiously stepped forward slowly. All the while, the other boy regarded him, looking him up and down. And then Lance poked his cheek. His soft, very tangible cheek.

"Well you're not a ghost", Lance confirmed to himself.

"Is that what you're doing? Looking for ghosts? That's stupid."

"Ghosts, paranormal activity, abnormalities. And it's not stupid! Don't think I've ruled you out as some kind of...kind of... creature of the night! What are you even doing here anyway?", Lance asked.

The other boy considered the question, not because he didn't trust Lance, it seemed, but because he was truly trying to understand what he was doing here.

"I was looking...for something", he finally answered.

"You lost something?", Lance asked just as red and blue lights showed outside. Cursing, he turned the light off on his phone, plunging them into darkness. "The cops! We gotta bolt!", he whispered harshly.

Lance yelped when he felt his wrist being grabbed and pulled forward. He couldn't see two inches in front of him and was afraid of tripping and falling but it never happened. He moved through the house, led by the other boy until they came out through the back door. Lance was panting. It was still pretty dark out there, but at least there was the moon.

And the streetlights down the street could be seen from where they were.

"You really know how to cheese it when the fuzz is on the scene, huh? I'm Lance, by the way."

"I don't like cops. And I'm Keith."


	2. Chapter 2

"How do you believe in Bigfoot, but not werewolves?"

"Because it's more believable!"

Lance and Keith sat outside, in a park, on a bench, a tray of nachos between them. It had been a couple of weeks since Lance had found him in that house and he had learned much about him, Keith didn't seem any less strange. He still hadn't told Lance what he'd been doing in that house in the first place. Whenever Lance visited it, Keith refused to go.

He refused to go on any of Lance's escapades, actually. Keith adamantly denied any and all existence of the supernatural. He didn't believe in ghosts, vampires, or fairies. But apparently things like aliens and cryptids were fair game.

"The universe is too big to assume that we're alone in it", Keith reasoned.

"And yet too small for werewolves?"

"Don't you think someone would've discovered concrete evidence of that by now?", Keith asked.

Lance didn't have an answer, as he was trying to balance a jalapeno on the edge of his chip. Keith shook his head but allowed himself a smile since Lance couldn't see, as focused on his nacho as he was. There was a reason Keith didn't go on Lance's little hunts, besides his general disbelief in the area.

Keith himself was a ghost.

He didn't remember the circumstances of his death, only that he had been attached to that house, lying dormant. And then when Lance stepped foot into his house, he awakened. And somewhat, released. Keith couldn't go very far from the house, but luckily it was a small town and everything was within walking distance of the place. And whenever Lance did suggest somewhere out of his range, he just refused to go.

Turns out that was very easy since when Lance didn't suggest hanging out at the mall, he invited Keith to go out on his hunts. And as he was a ghost himself, Keith decided it would be a very, very bad idea to go along with it. The chances of Lance actually figuring out what he was were very slim in his opinion. But he still didn't want to lose this. Whatever it was.

Lance was fun. And funny, and stupid but insightful, and nice, and kind, and cute, and-

"Presenting the nacho-wich!", Lance proclaimed, holding up two chips with all the toppings sandwiched between them.

Did he mention stupid? And also cute?

"I think you're defeating the purpose by eating them that way", Keith said.

"The purpose of nachos is to in fact eat them, Keith. So, you gonna come with me to check out this haunted dollhouse?"

Keith's brow raised at that. "Haunted...dollhouse. You know it's supposed to be one or the other, right? Haunted doll or haunted house?"

"This antique store is supposed to have a haunted dollhouse", Lance said. "I wanna see what that's all about."

"I'll pass. I've got...stuff to do."

Lance shrugged and finished the last of his nachos. "Suit yourself. But if I get possessed by some evil spirit, I'm blaming you."

Even Keith had to grin at the irony in that.


	3. Chapter 3

The haunted dollhouse turned out to be a bust, as was the two headed cat behind the 7-eleven, and the fairy ring at the middle school. Keith hadn't been there to witness those busts, but Lance figured that was for the best. He wanted to show Keith something real.

"So you really wanna impress mullet boy, huh?", Pidge asked, typing away on their laptop.

"I don't wanna 'impress' him", Lance denied. "I just think it'll be great to find something with him. He was in that house after all."

"Yeah about that", Hunk said. "Why was he there? You don't think he's homeless, do you?"

Lance looked up from his phone, where he'd been researching more local phenomena, thinking he may need to broaden his search beyond bike-riding distance.

"Uh, I never thought of that. He seems pretty clean and well fed though."

"He does kinda follow you around like a stray dog though", Pidge mentioned.

"I'd say more like a lovesick puppy", Hunk said, smiling at Lance.

Lance's shoulders shot up to his ears. "What are you talking about?"

"He's talking about how we've only met Keith a couple of times but each time you guys keep making goo-goo eyes at each other", Pidge explained.

"We do not!"

"Do too~", Pidge teased, actually taking their eyes off the screen. "And didn't you say he just always knows when to appear? Even though he doesn't have a cellphone?"

"Well, yeah..." Lance hadn't really thought about it but he did always run into Keith whenever he wanted to see him. He just figured it was a coincidence. There weren't many places in their town to go after all.

"Oh god, what if he's a...stalker?", Hunk whispered.

Lance rolled his eyes. "He's not a stalker. At worst, he's a drifter. And maybe if I can prove a legend or something to be real, he'll have a reason to stay."

"Aww, that's so cute", Pidge cooed. "In the interest of seeing how your romance with the drifter plays out, why don't you buy this?"

Lance looked when the laptop screen was turned to him and his eyes widened as a smile grew on his face. It was perfect!

* * *

Lance went home for the afternoon and on the way back, stopped by a burger joint. He was so excited! He couldn't wait to tell Keith. This time, he'd convince him for sure! He was thinking this as he grabbed his food and turned to find a table and Keith was already sitting down in his line of sight.

"Perfect timing!", Lance said, sitting across from him. He dug into his burger and ate a few fries first. And Keith just sat there and watched him.

"Perfect...timing...? Was there something you wanted to tell me?" Keith knew his spirit was tied to Lance for some reason. It was why he was always able to hone in on him. When they parted ways, Keith mostly floated around aimlessly, which was rather frustrating, but he wasn't sure what else to do. He kept from going back to the house as much as he could, but he always ended up back there when he wasn't with Lance.

He thought about figuring out how he died and why he hadn't passed on, but that just brought on a deep seated pain all over his body and worse, in his heart. It was jarring because as a ghost, he couldn't physically feel anything. Whatever happened, he didn't want to remember it. It was why he was glad whenever Lance was thinking of him and wanted to see him.

It called his spirit to the other boy and he didn't have to think about his mystery of a past, only the here and now.

Lance swallowed and chugged some of his soda before answering. "I know you don't believe in the supernatural and stuff, but you've gotta come with me on my next hunt. I'll prove to you without a doubt that it exists!"

"This again? What makes this one any different from the others?", Keith asked.

"You just gotta trust me on this one", Lance said, looking deep into his eyes.

Keith ignored the bit of ketchup on his cheek and instead focused on that gaze. He'd never seen Lance look that serious before. He must really be onto something. Keith let out a sigh and leaned back in his chair.

"Alright, I'll go. If only to see you trip over your own feet and blame it on a goblin."

"Yes!" Lance reached out in excitement and grabbed Keith's hand in both of his own. "You'll see! It's real and it's out there!"

He went back to his eating and started talking about another topic, something about a test he was dreading but it was all muffled in Keith's ears. He was staring down at his hand. He could interact with objects and people just fine but he never felt it.

He had _felt_ Lance's hand.

It had been soft and warm and a tad greasy but it was _his_.

Keith's eyes looked to his face, wondering just who this person was to him, to pull him from decades of slumber, detach him from the house and tether Keith's soul to him, and to now be able to feel him? Keith flexed his fingers and then placed his hand on the table, the movement registering and yet no sensation. He knew there was something about Lance.

But maybe now was the time to figure out what it was.


	4. Chapter 4

Lance had told Keith to meet him by his house at eight o'clock. The self-proclaimed hunter of the supernatural seemed a lot more confident about today's excursion, so Keith found himself getting a little eager too. He found himself appearing outside of said house behind a tree. A moment later, Lance stepped out of the house. Someone from inside shouted something to him in Spanish, which Keith didn't understand, and Lance replied back before stepping off the porch

Keith stepped out from behind the tree and moved to the sidewalk before announcing his presence.

"We're taking your bike there?"

Lance jolted, then turned around. "I didn't see you there. Are you always lurking in the shadows like that?"

"I thought you were used to things lurking in the shadows?", Keith teased as he approached, coming more into the glow of the porch light.

"Just come on. Tonight I'm gonna show you something real. Honestly this time", Lance said as he adjusted the straps of his backpack.

Keith gave him the same skeptical look as always but came over to his side anyway. He eyed the backpack. He knew Lance had his so-called 'tools', but didn't know exactly what they were. They started walking and Keith was about to ask about this particular hunt when Lance took out his phone. He turned it to record video and pointed it to himself and Keith, their faces lit up by the streetlights as they walked.

"Hello folks at home. Got a good one for ya today. We're checking out this haunted house and tonight I am joined by a friend of mine, local skeptic and town pretty boy, Keith!"

"'Pretty boy'?"

"So let's haul ass and get this show on the road. One way or another, we're gonna see a ghost!" Lance stopped recording and pocketed his phone and started walking more briskly.

"So what's the deal with this haunted house?", Keith asked.

"All will be revealed once we get there", Lance promised.

"Why so mysterious?"

"I gotta explain it all for the video anyway", Lance said. "Might as well only say it once."

Keith didn't like repeating himself so he understood. It wasn't like anything they came up against (which he doubted would happen anyway) could kill him in the first place. Or even injure him. Ever since that isolated event with Lance touching him, Keith had tried feeling other things but nothing happened. His mind registered the touch but he couldn't feel the texture or how warm or cool it was.

Not like with Lance.

A thought occurred to him while the other boy was talking about how his mom was always more strict with his curfew but somehow his older sister always got a pass when she came home late. The thought spent about a second in his brain before his hand started to move. The two of them were stopped at a crosswalk, waiting for the light to change.

Lance was looking forward so he didn't see Keith's hand until it was already at it's destination. Keith poked Lance's cheek. First with one finger. Then with two. Then he was fully touching Lance's cheek with his hand.

"...Uh, buddy?"

"I can feel you."

"And I can", Lance cleared his throat, "I can feel you too. That's how touching works."

Keith realized what he was doing and pulled his hand back. Slowly his cheeks began to redden as he tried to come up with an explanation for what had just happened but luckily he was given an out when the light changed.

"It's our turn. Let's go!", he said, grabbing Lance's hand without thinking and pulling him across the street. He kept walking for a bit before realizing he had no idea where they were going. And then he noticed the warmth surrounding his hand and looked down, almost immediately snatching his hand back.

"You okay?", Lance asked.

"Fine!", Keith squeaked. "Lead the way!"

Lance gave him a look before continuing on. Keith was so distracted by that little moment that he didn't notice where they were going until they were already in the neighborhood. He looked around at all the old houses, none of them lived in.

"Hey, is this...?"

"The place where I found you? Yes. Yes it is", Lance grinned proudly. He whipped out his phone again and this time put it on a selfie stick, using a flashlight to illuminate himself and Keith as he started recording.

"So here's the deetz: I looked up the area and this neighborhood had inhabitants a while back. But some decades ago, there was a suspicious death and the rumors about it spread and realtors could sell any of the houses after people moved out of them. I looked into those rumors and it turns out a guy was murdered in one of these houses."

As Lance spoke into the camera, Keith felt that pain return in his chest. The same one he got whenever he had tried remembering his past before. He put a hand to his chest and started curling into himself. Lance saw his reaction through the camera and turned around.

"Keith? Are you okay?" He turned the camera off as Keith went down to his knees.

"Lance, why are we here?", Keith asked.

"To find the ghost that's supposed to haunt that house", Lance answered, pointing right to Keith's house. "Pidge showed me the perfect tool for the job." He opened his backpack and pulled out some handheld device.

The pain in Keith's chest calmed enough for him to give the item a confused glance. "What am I looking at here?"

"An EMF meter. I like to call it a specter detector", Lance grinned, turning the device on.

Immediately it began making alert sounds and lighting up and Keith froze. Of course when it came to the one thing Keith didn't want him to find out about, Lance would stumble on something real. He stood up and clenched his fists. The cat was out of the bag now, he had to tell him.

"Lance...I-"

"Stupid thing", Lance smacked it a few times before turning it off. "Maybe it'll work better in the house. Or maybe the spirit is strong enough to effect it before we even get in the house."

"Lance I'm the ghost!", Keith shouted.

The other didn't reply at first, then slowly a frown grew on his face. "You don't have to make fun of me. I get that this isn't your thing, but I'm serious about it."

"I am too. Lance, I'm the ghost. This is my house. Your little detector thing just proved it."

Lance rolled his eyes. "Just let me check my intro and make sure it's tight and I'll show you a real ghost in a minute." He opened the gallery on his phone and started playing the video he took just a moment ago. He showed up clear as a bell but Keith was nowhere to be seen. Lance could've sworn he had been in the shot. He checked the video he'd made when they met up. Keith had been standing shoulder to shoulder with him.

And yet the video showed Lance talking with himself.

He pointed the camera at Keith and he showed up. He took a picture and when he looked at it, the picture only showed the grass and sidewalk. No Keith at all.

"You...Y-y-y-y-you...You're a real-you're a real..."

"Do you believe me now?", Keith asked. Bracing himself for either Lance's fear or rage. It turned out to be rage, but not for the reasons he'd been expecting.

"And you never told me?!", Lance shouted. "All this time we'd been hanging out and we could've done super cool ghost things!"

"I...thought you'd be afraid of me", Keith admitted.

Lance was about to continue on his tirade when another realization came to him. "You said you didn't believe in ghosts. While being a ghost. Your breath must be kickin' from all the bs you spew out!"

Keith didn't really have a response for that, so Lance went on. And on. And on. And by the time he was done, he was panting and probably sweating a little. Lance waited for him to reply but got nothing.

"Well? Have anything to say for yourself?"

"Why'd you choose this place to hunt for ghosts?", Keith asked. "You've already been here once."

"It's where I met you", Lance said, calming down a little. "I figured you wanna know if the place you were squatting in had another resident."

Keith's eyes widened at that. "You thought I was squatting here? You thought I was homeless?"

"Kinda?! I mean, where does a ghost live?", Lance shrugged.

Keith shrugged as well. "I don't stay here if that's what you're asking. I mostly just...migrate until we hang out. I was avoiding this place because I didn't wanna remember."

Lance had the decency to look ashamed. He had wanted to explore the memory of a person long-gone, maybe find some clues as to what led up to their demise. Not throw a horrible memory into someone's face. Especially not Keith's. Never his.

"But...", Keith took a deep breath. "Maybe it's time for me to remember."


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 444 hits 4 comments 45 kudos, 5 bookmarks, how serendipitous!

Lance had his flashlight out and carefully, they entered the abandoned house. His phone was put away for this one. True, it was his first real ghost, but now it seemed a little tasteless to film his actual friend trying to solve the mystery of his murder.

"So? Remember anything yet?", Lance asked as they went deeper inside.

"Nothing", Keith said, following behind.

He looked around and tried to recall living here. Instead of trying to remember his death, he forced himself to consider earlier than that. Being a child, probably running through these halls. He went into the kitchen as he thought about this and felt a memory return. Him, sitting at the kitchen table, drawing while his father put away some fruit they had received as a gift from Keith's grandmother.

His mother, cooking something on the stove. Keith could remember the smell, something that was pungent and savory, but had a sour taste.

_"I don't like it!", Keith protested, standing on his tip-toes, hands on the counter, trying to convince his mother not to put the kimchi in the pan._

_"You like it in fried rice", his mother assured him._

Her face was a faded memory, but Keith could recall how warm her touch was. And how much she loved him and his father. They had been happy here. So what had ended it all?

"You okay man?", Lance asked, putting a hand on his shoulder.

Startled, Keith turned, making Lance flinch away. As he did, a thought came to him.

"Why is it that you can touch some things?", Lance asked. "You're a ghost, but I think you're more powerful than most, to project a solid appearance and actually affect our world."

"I wasn't always", Keith said. "I think this whole time...This whole time I've just been gathering dust in this house. And then you came."

"Aww, am I special?", Lance fluttered his lashes, but with the flashlight glowing under his face any attempts to be cute were in vain.

"You're-ungh!" Keith doubled over again. Lance reached out to him, trying to steady the other boy as they both went down to their knees. Instead of running away from the pain he felt in his chest, Keith chased after it, looking at Lance and trying to remember what he had to do with this if anything.

There had been a boy across the street.

A boy who would always knock on Keith's door, asking if he could come out and play.

He had been loud and annoying, then tolerable, then welcome, then wanted. Keith remembered growing up with that boy, seeing him almost everyday.

"Lance", he ground out, voice rough. "Lance you were there. You're in my memories."

"Um, dude, I'm only seventeen. There's no way I'm in your memories from decades ago."

"But I remember you!", Keith protested. "You and I, we...", he started to blush.

Suddenly the kitchen was aglow as if bathed in the afternoon sun instead of blanketed by night. The dust was gone and everything was restored. There was Keith, looking exactly as he did now, sitting at the table, tapping his fingers while someone was perusing his fridge. They grabbed a soda and closed the fridge door, revealing themselves to be Lance.

His hair and clothes were different, but there was no doubt about it being him. He opened the can and sat across from Keith. They started speaking, but no voices came out. It was like watching tv on mute.

"That's...that's me...", Lance whispered.

Keith stood up and hesitantly approached the table, looking at the memory as it played out. Their interactions in the past were very similar to the ones in the present. Keith didn't feel the stinging in his chest anymore but now a heavy question hung in the air. What had happened to Lance?


	6. Chapter 6

It was like looking at a weird mirror. Lance knew for a fact he was standing on his own two feet but seeing himself sitting at the table and talking with another Keith had him second guessing. It couldn't be him. If Keith was there and he'd died decades ago, then this must be a vision of the past. And Lance definitely wasn't immortal.

"That's-that's gotta be like an ancestor of mine or something", he reasoned.

"An ancestor who looks exactly like you?", Keith pointed out.

"Well you come up with something that makes sense!"

Keith's lips turned up in a pout as he investigated the scene happening before him. It was Lance, without a doubt. But it really made no sense because Lance was alive. He had a family who interacted with him, friends, a whole life before ever meeting Keith. And Keith had felt the warmth emanating from him when they touched. He was flesh and blood.

The Keith and the Lance of the past held hands across the table, intertwining their fingers, causing the ones of the present to blush.

"Are we...an item?", Lance asked.

Their past versions stood up, still holding hands and walked out of the kitchen. The other two followed scene and as they did, the rest of the house was restored, looking just as the kitchen had. They followed the vision up the stairs and into Keith's room.

Where they promptly began to make out.

"Yep! That answers that question!", Lance squawked, turning around to face the door.

"I didn't-! I don't-! What are you doing to me!?", Keith demanded, gesturing to their other selves.

"Don't look!", Lance said, grabbing Keith's shoulders and turning him around. "And whatddya mean _me_? You're the one who brought us up to _your_ room!"

Keith didn't respond at first, instead looking into Lance's eyes, then turning his head slightly to see the action happening on the bed before quickly turning away again. Keith couldn't deny how into each other their past versions seemed. And he couldn't deny he'd been starting to feel something for his Lance. But he couldn't feel this way. If he did...if he did...

Suddenly falling to his knees, hand to his chest and letting out a cry that washed away the vision of the past. They were back in the dark, dusty, dingy house that creaked in the night.

"Hey", Lance said, voice soft. "Are you okay?"

"I can't", Keith croaked out. "It hurts too much to think about you. To think about us."

"You think whatever did you in had to do with us?"

Keith took a deep, shuddering breath. "Something happened to me. Something happened to you. But I don't get why I'm like this and you're like that." A ghost who was attached to an abandoned house and a normal human boy.

Lance started rubbing his back. "Look, this is all super freaky and I kinda wanna just forget the whole thing too. If that's what you want, we can leave."

Trying to compose himself and not lean too much into Lance's touch, Keith took a moment to look around the room. The answers to all of his questions were right here. He just had to face them. So he shook his head.

"I can do this. I need to do this. Let's go back downstairs. It can't be safe up here." Carefully, he began to stand up. Lance stood to the side, hands outstretched in case Keith needed his help. When he straightened his back, he took another breath and tried to focus on bringing back the memories of the past. He didn't want to just see them he wanted to hear them too.

They reappeared but Keith left the room then, trying to find answers elsewhere. Lance followed and as they reached the final step, they saw their past selves coming in through the front door now. Both of them looking rough from a fight.

"You didn't have to fight them", past-Lance said as they went into the kitchen.

"You're welcome", past-Keith bit out while Lance searched for the first aid kit.

Lance started working on Keith who let it happen begrudgingly. The ghost Keith of the present could remember this day. He could remember this fight. He could remember why and when it started. And he was beginning to remember what came after. He gave a look to his Lance, who clearly didn't.

"Who do you think beat 'em up like that?", he asked, oblivious.

"...Someone saw us...together", Keith answered in a low voice.

"Oh", Lance's eyes widened. "Yeah, well, that would piss off a particular kind of person."

Keith clenched his fists. The pain in his chest was still there but now it was mixing with a deep rage that started in his belly and began to fill his body.

"But it wasn't any of their business. And what does it matter who we decide to be with. What I felt for you wasn't wrong. And we didn't deserve to die for it!"

Lance nearly snapped his own neck he turned it so quick. "What're you talking about? I didn't die. I'm right here."

"Lance, wake up! That's you! You're in my memories! Which means you were alive back then", Keith said, gesturing to their past versions. "Someone killed the both of us and you moved on while I was stuck here the whole time!"

Lance shook his head. Coming to terms with his friend being a ghost, said friend having memories of him from decades ago, that enough was a lot to take in. But the idea that he'd been murdered in...in what? A past life? This was getting to be too much for one night.

"Lance, please remember", Keith said, his voice turning soft as he reached out and grabbed the other's hand. "I don't wanna be alone anymore."

Lance looked down at their hands and tightened their grip, then took a step closer to Keith. Apparently learning more about his friend meant learning more about himself.

"Okay. I'm ready."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We got about 1-2 more chapters left in this baby  
And stay safe out there yall


	7. Chapter 7

Lance came out of the convenience store, carrying a plastic bag with two sodas, two bags of chips, and two donuts. He threw one of the donuts to Keith, who leaned against the wall next to the door outside, looking every bit the delinquent with his jacket and gloves.

"Why don't you ever go in there?", Lance asked.

"Because they always give me dirty looks", Keith answered. "Like I'd ever steal something from this place."

"You ever think people give you dirty looks because you give them dirty looks?" Lance poked Keith's cheek as he chewed on his donut. "Boop. There's my smile", he beamed when the corner of Keith's mouth picked up.

After that little talk, they walked around town with their snacks. Whenever they were out in public like this, it felt like a trapeze act to keep their distance. Little touches meant to tease were fine, but do it too much and people would get suspicious. A bit of good-natured ribbing that was friendly but not too friendly otherwise people would get suspicious.

Staying over each other's houses, walking two and from school, hanging out, but not doing it too much or people would get suspicious.

It was a day like any other when things ended. Lance and Keith had been out at the batting cages, letting out some steam before deciding to call it a day.

"Why don't you come to my place tonight?", Lance suggested. "It's chicken and rice night!"

"Hmm...but it's pesto night at my house", Keith said.

Lance looked to be thinking deeply about whose house to go over for food. "Let's do your place. Pesto is best fresh. But my mom's chicken and rice gets better the day after."

The sun had set and they were walking home by streetlight as most of the shops began to close. As they turned a corner, they saw a group of guys down the street. It almost seemed like they were waiting for them. Lance was about to put a hand on Keith's shoulder, trying to get him to go in a different direction. He had a bad feeling about this. But Keith kept going forward. In fact he looked determined to keep going this way, no matter the obstacle.

As they came up on the group of guys, Lance and Keith found themselves corralled and surrounded. There were six of them in all and Lance recognized them. Keith got into fights with them a lot, usually one-on-one sometimes two-on-one. Lance had tussled with them once or twice as well. But they'd never approached the two of them in this number before.

Neither of them returned home that night.

* * *

Lance let out a pained scream while Keith released one full of rage. They fell apart from each other as a tremor shook the house. Lance felt sick and disoriented and heartbroken.

"They...they killed us...", he whispered to himself.

"They killed you!", Keith shouted, a shock wave emanating from him, pushing Lance into a wall. Lance didn't need a reminder. He had just relived the pain of it. Of being beaten to death in an alley. And then nothingness.

"But why did I...I got reincarnated", Lance said, getting up on wobbly feet. "Why didn't you?"

"Because I couldn't forgive them", Keith bit out. If he'd been able to eat as a ghost, he would've vomited. Keith had still been alive when Lance had been...when he was...Their murderers had made quick work of Keith after that but he still remembered Lance's cries and the lifeless glaze over his eyes as his bloodied body laid in that alley.

"They should suffer the way we did", Keith said. A gust of hot wind began to pick up around Keith and he started glowing red.

"Keith? Come on buddy, it's in the past", Lance said, trying to calm him down.

"It doesn't matter!", Keith shouted. "They killed us and got away with it! They need to pay for what they did!"

Keith's body burned up in a blaze, disappearing as flames flooded the house. Lance held his hands up but found that even though he was engulfed in fire, he didn't feel like he was burning. The flames didn't touch him at all. But he could still feel Keith's anguish like it was his own. He was holding onto the past and had kept him from moving on. At this rate he'd be stuck in a cycle of suffering forever, doomed to be trapped in this house.

Lance had to get him out of here and into the next stage of life, whatever that was. Only problem was he didn't know too much about exorcisms. It didn't seem like Keith was exactly tied to the house, he was able to leave whenever he wanted. For a moment Lance thought the key might be himself but he wasn't entirely sure how to get Keith to let go of his dead-but-reincarnated boyfriend.

And that was another thing.

Having their relationship framed that way sort of threw everything they'd done in his face. Lance had been slowly acknowledging these budding feelings but now they were impossible to ignore. He wondered if maybe that was the answer. Giving in to these emotions. Maybe not letting them consume him the way they did to Keith, but still actually feeling them.

Whatever he did, he better do it quick before someone noticed the abandoned house going up in a supernatural blaze. But he noticed that just as the fire didn't burn him, it didn't burn the house either. The whole place was an angry red-orange but nothing was actually burning.

"Oh Keith..."

Even at his most furious, he didn't want to just destroy. He didn't want to hurt anyone. Keith only wanted justice. And Lance could understand that. But he couldn't live his life-er-afterlife in a heated fit of revenge.

"Keith!", Lance shouted, although he didn't know why. Surely Keith could hear him, he was all around him. Or maybe he was so upset nothing would get through to him? Lance started to walk around, trying to think of a room that would mean a lot to Keith. He didn't know what he was doing but right now it seemed that instinct over logic was his best bet.

"I'm comin' for ya buddy."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright! Next chapter is definitely that last so we're coming up on the end!


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Of course, the song in this chapter is "Reaching Out" by Yagami Junko

Lance's first thought was perhaps the kitchen. It was where Keith's memories had first awakened. He went inside, trying to trigger his own. If he could remember more, he could probably help Keith get through this. He got flashes of having dinner with Keith's family. Of trying Korean food for the first time. Of trying to a cake for Keith's dad on his birthday and failing horribly.

There were a lot of memories in the kitchen, but none of them were helping him right now. So he left and went into the living room next. Having family game nights with Keith's family and seeing which games they shared and which they didn't. Of waking up early on Saturday mornings to watch cartoons after sleeping over Friday night. Of making out on the couch once before nearly getting caught by Keith's mom.

A lot of good stuff here too, but nothing yet. And Lance wasn't sure how long he had before people noticed the house being on fire but not really on fire. He had one more idea but wasn't so sure about going up the stairs of an old house that was currently being throttled by a ghost in a rage. But Keith's fire hadn't burned him so maybe he could trust the other wouldn't let him fall to his death because of a broken floorboard.

"Keith?", Lance tried calling out again.

There was no answer other than the roaring flames that surrounded him. So Lance took a leap of faith and put his full weight on the first step, then the second, then the third, slowly making his way up the stairs. Once he was at the top, he went to Keith's room. This had to be it. It had to be.

"Come on past-self, talk to me. Let me help you. I need to remember everything about us." There had to be something to help Keith find peace and move on. Lance walked around the room, taking in everything more than the first time now that he had, uh, adequate lighting. The comics on the shelf, where there used to be a piggy bank where he had been saving up for a bike.

A stereo on top of that, where Lance had introduced Keith to some of the best music in the world, in his humble opinion. Just then he got a hard flash of the past.

_Keith laid back against his bed, hands behind his head as he listened to the tunes coming out of the speakers. Lance had gotten some cassettes from a guy selling them at a swap meet. Things you couldn't find at the store, normally. Folk music recordings, rips from concerts that happened a decade ago, songs from other countries. Lance was choosing which one he wanted to play for Keith today._

_"Just pick one", Keith said, which was his way of saying 'come over here and cuddle with me'._

_Lance finally landed on one and started to play it. A mellow saxophone began to play as he sauntered over to the bed, then flopped right on top of Keith. His boyfriend let out a grunt but then wrapped his arms around Lance. Lance adjusted them so they were laying side by side, still in each other's embrace. Lance played with Keith's hair. As much as he gave him the business for having a mullet, he loved how soft it was._

_'Knocked me off my feet. Caught in your fire I was burnin' from the heat~'_

Lance came back to the present, swaying from the whiplash. This room. It was where they could hold each other the way they wanted, dance to Lance's music (although it was more like Lance dancing and Keith awkwardly swaying), where they talked about their dreams for the future. Dreams they never got to live out. Lance remembered Keith listening to that one cassette the most. He acted like hard rock was his thing but the boy had a soft spot for pop.

And an extra tender spot for the love ballads.

Lance looked around the empty room, trying to find the cassette, even going as far as trying to peek under some of the loose flooring and wall paneling. But of course, there was nothing. He started pacing around the room in a panic and tried to think of what to do next. What was the likelihood of finding it at a store? Considering it was late at night and a super old song, zero.

As he paced, he began to hum notes of the song. It was a good song. And he was starting to calm down a little too. He took a deep breath and noticed the flames weren't going as crazy as before.

"Keith? Do you remember that song?" Lance tapped his forehead, trying to remember the exact lyrics. It truly felt like trying to dig up a song you heard last month on the radio instead of memories of a past life from decades ago.

"Tell me what to do. Believe in me baby and I'll make it up to you."

The flames began to move more slowly and recede as more of the song sounded through the room and Lance stumbled through the lyrics. Eventually the fire coalesced into the form of a person, the rippling flames going peaceful until it was a simple silhouetted glow.

"Keith?", Lance reached out to grab his hand. It was warm. At the touch, Keith turned back into himself, tears streaming down his face.

"It was you Lance", he said, voice cracking from crying. "I was looking for you... I spent all these years looking for you and you weren't here."

Lance pulled Keith to him, holding his head to his chest. "I'm here now. I'll always come back for you."

Keith could feel the soft warmth of Lance's clothes. He could smell the freshly laundered shirt under the the jacket that smelled like the back of someone's car. Could hear Lance's heartbeat and feel his fingers combing through his hair.

"You came back for me", Keith said. "After all this time." And this Lance had an entire life to live now. Without Keith. He tightened his hold on Lance when that thought came to him. He didn't want to be without Lance again. But he also couldn't stay or let Lance put his life on hold for him.

"Hey buddy. I can hear the gears in your mullet-head turning? You got somethin' you wanna share with the class?"

"Thank you Lance. For everything."

"You make it sound so final", Lance laughed quietly.

Keith pulled his head away from Lance's chest to look into his eyes. And Lance felt like he could see everything in them. With eyes being windows to the soul, maybe it was ten-fold when looking into a soul's eyes.

"You're moving on", he confirmed.

"It's time", Keith said.

"Wait!", Lance shouted, trying to think of how to get him to stay. Just for a minute, a moment. He knew Keith had to go, but he wasn't ready to actually say goodbye. He pulled his phone out and searched frantically. Finding a cassette with a foreign song was like a treasure hunt back then. But in the age of the internet, and thanks to his memories, he found it in a few seconds and began to play it.

"You still owe me a dance."

"_Lance_", Keith looked away bashfully.

Lance turned the volume up and put his phone on the floor, taking both of Keith's hands in his and leading him in a sway across the room. When Keith got over his embarrassment, he finally looked at him. And it didn't feel like they were in an old abandoned house. For a moment, the glow of the sun returned and they had an entire life ahead of them.

"One day. we're gonna be free to leave this place", Lance said. "On that bike of yours."

"I don't have it yet", Keith said. "And I thought you called it a death-trap?"

Lance shrugged. "The idea of having a badass biker boyfriend is growing on me. You know where we should go first?"

"The beach? So you can get those nasty boardwalk fries?"

"They are delicious, you blasphemer. You're lucky you're cute, because your food opinions are atrocious."

"Floppy fries are gross, Lance. They're supposed to be crispy."

Lance gave Keith a twirl even though it didn't fit with the song. "All fries are equal Keith baby."

"What's after the beach?", Keith asked.

Lance gave it a little thinking and then let out a heavy sigh as he put his arms around Keith's waist. "I guess...we can go...to the desert. Even though there's nothing there and it's hot and dry which is bad for my skin but you love it so much so I guess we'll go."

Keith grinned at that. He longed for just a nice long drive through the desert. Watching day turn into night and vice versa. Feeling like you were on the edge of the world with the sun on the horizon. And Lance holding him from behind the whole way.

"Thanks", Keith kissed Lance's cheek. "Sounds perfect." He began to glow again, but this time it was a gentle blue color that surrounded him. Lance put a hand to Keith's face and leaned in close to kiss his lips.

"See ya on the flip side", Lance whispered.

"I'll be waiting", Keith replied.

The glow faded, as did Keith. And Lance was left alone with the final notes of the song. He sniffled a bit and picked up his phone before carefully making his way out of the house. Now it was just a house.

Lance told Pidge and Hunk that Keith had moved away. Which was as true as the truth got. The two of them eventually stopped bringing him up, which Lance was thankful for.

The years passed and Lance loved and lost, never forgetting Keith but never letting those feelings hold him back. He remembered their promise and wanted to have a lot to tell Keith about when they met again. Whenever or however that was. When he did finally reach his end, it was after a life well spent. As his essence returned to the universe, he felt a familiar embrace.

* * *

Lance was glad to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city for a few days for the beach, the ocean sparkling like diamonds. He had spent the day surfing, building sandcastles, and working on his tan. Now, in the late afternoon, it was officially time to go cruising for some hotties. He grabbed a large paper cup of some boardwalk fries and started strolling around.

A few caught his eye here and there but there was only one that made him do a double take. The guy wore a vest with the sleeves cut off and holey jeans while sunglasses covered his eyes. He leaned against his light cycle. An older model but Lance could tell it would look beautiful once the sun went down. But it wasn't the bike or the bad fashion sense that had him giving the guy extra attention.

It was the fact that he was eating nachos. Or rather, the way that he was eating them. He got ample cheese and beans on a chip, then put a jalapeno on it, then finally topped it with another chip.

"I uh, think you're defeating the purpose by eating them that way", Lance commented, stepping forward.

"The purpose of nachos is to eat them." The stranger stuffed the chip-sandwich into his mouth and crunched while wiping the crumbs from his hand. He lowered his shades to look over the edge of them at Lance. "Do I know you?"

Lance felt an inexplicable pull towards this guy. So he put on his best flirt face. "Nope, but today is your lucky day", he said, coming right over. "Is riding a light cycle anything like a hover bike?"

"Better. Speed is great, but I like the feel of the road under my wheels. Maybe I could...drive you around...sometimes? Only if you want! Uh..."

"Lance. My name is Lance. And I'd love to take this beauty out for a spin. And your name is?"

"Keith", he answered as he removed the sunglasses.

Lance's breath was caught in his throat as he looked into Keith's eyes. "I found you", he said.

A spark of recognition flashed in Keith's eyes and he smiled softly, taking Lance's hand in his own. "You found me."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for coming along for the ride!  
Next klance-wise for me is I'm working on an Area 51 AU that I talk about here: https://apomaro-mellow.tumblr.com/post/612139513890947072/so-has-anyone-made-a-klance-area-51-au-where-keith
> 
> That one will be all fluff and nice things with not nearly as much angst as this one (if i can help it) So if you're interested in that, stay tuned!  
And feel free to come talk to me about klance and klance fics on my tumblr


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